Popes in the Middle Ages became central figures of power and influence. During this time many people from all walks of life flocked to the Holy Land to see the pope. The overly aggressive religious fanaticism of the popes and the promise of redemption of sin made the popes and the crusades popular. In effect of this, the Catholic Church soon became the collective, uniting religious institution. Conflicts between church and state eventually weakened the Pope’s power. Also, the end of the feudal system and the Protestant Reformation led to a further weakening of the Pope’s power.

History of Popes in the Middle AgesGregory the Great- 540-604Gregory reformed the church. Gregory had a family with a very old Roman heritage and customs and, as such, was a strict disciplinarian during his rule. His rule was representative of the shift from classical Roman rule to the new Medieval style. Gregory’s writings included many demons, angels, ghosts, dramatic miracles and the coming end of the world.

The Exarch of RavennaAfter Gregory, most popes were dominated by the Exarch of Ravenna. The Exarch of Revenna was the Byzantine emperor’s representation in Italy. The empire was weakened during this time, as it was in the midst of the Muslin expansion. Because of this, the current pope, Pope Stephen II, no longer trusted the current emperor, Constantine V. Later, when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor (circa 800 AD), he decided that no man, at least in the West, could be emperor without the pope’s anointment.

ByzantinesAs far back as the 600s AD, most of the southern Mediterranean area had been conquered by the Islamic Caliphite. This was a threat to the Christians. Pope Urban II was asked to aid the current emperor, Alexius I, against Muslim invasions. At the council of Clermont, Urban called for the first crusade. He did this to assist the Byzantine Empire in regaining old Christian areas. The most important of these was Jerusalem.

Low point of the papacy- 867-1049

Popes in the Middle Ages came under political scrutiny from 867-1049. During this time, popes in the Middle Ages were starved, imprisoned, murdered, and forced to step down from their positions. One official controlled the papacy for half a century. Pope John XII, the great-grandson of this official, held numerous decadent and sinful parties in the Lateran palace. John was accused in an ecclesiastical court by Emperor Otto I of Germany and he was forced to step down from his position.

He was then replaced by layman Pope Leo VIII. Through malicious acts John made his way back into the position of pope. Conflicts continued between church and state to the point where popes were elected through monetary means almost openly by those in power.

Leo IX- 1049Leo was the last pope with the ability to face the problems that popes in the Middle Ages were up against. He made appearances across Europe to deal with the conflicts between church and state directly. Two notable problems included concubines and marriage in the clergy. Through his patience and travel he was able to restore the authority and respect once shown to the papacy.

Monarchs and Popes in the Middle Ages

From 600’s AD onward it was common for European monarchies to invest in churches and the papacy. They also sometimes housed clergy in their manors or fiefdoms, though their personal beliefs and interests caused distaste among clergy members. The reason for this practice was that the clergy members were also participants in public life.

This practice was seen as corruptive to the church and, as such, the church began to promote ecclesiastical reform. Centres were built for this purpose. A notable centre was the Abbey of Cluny. Pope Gregory VII, who was elected in 1073, promoted this movement further when he spread the Gregorian Reform. Gregorian Reform pushed celibacy, tried to restore clerical discipline, and preached against the abuse of civil power.